Artificial tooth.



G. A. BROUILLET.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

Amlcmlou FILED MAY'ZI. I916.

Patented Oct. 15 1918.

8 M W R A CWT m e flM W 58 e W T 0 WW b preferably made of metal, and which is fixnr TS ran ca GEORGES A. BROUILLET, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15,1918.

Application filed May 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,365.

ment in Artificial Teeth, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts. I

This invention relates to artificial teeth and has for its main object to provide an improvedartificial tooth and an improved way of inexpensively but effectually securing said tooth to a bridge, crown or other support.

Other obiects of the invention are to provide an artificial tooth construction in which the metallic backing is entirely concealed which has other advantages, all as will be' more fully hereinafter set forth. A tooth embodying my invention may be made of porcelain, or any other suitable material and is formed with a nub or protuberance at its base which presents an anchoring rib on its sides and bottom and which also is provided with a cement-receiving cavity in the rear face of the protuberance or nub. This tooth thusmade is secured to a holding member,

edly secured to the bridge, crown, or other support. This holding member has a shape to fit the protuberance or nub, and a lip to embrace the anchoring rib on the nub. The holding member is also provided with a cement-receiving pocket which communicates with the pocket of the tooth when the tooth is properly positioned in the holding member. The tooth is secured to the holding member by cement which fills the pockets in the tooth and holder, respectively, said cement forming a sort of anchoring member to tie the tooth to the holding member and to resist the strains due to occlusion. The shape of the holding member and the protuberance on the tooth is such that the tooth can be placed into or removed from the holding member by ayertical movement.

In an artificial tooth embodying my invention the metal of the holding member is situated entirely at the base of the tooth and, therefore, is not visible. The construction of the tooth and holding member is such that a tooth can be readily placed into 'or removed from the holding member, thus making it possible to replace an injured tooth without removing the bridge or crown work from the mouth.

The invention is also applicable to all the different varieties of teethand is thus universal in its adaptation.

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected-embodiment thereof which will now be described, after which the novel features will be pointed out inthe appended claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an artificial tooth embodying my invention, said figure showing the tooth attached to the bridge;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the tooth;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the tooth showing the holding member shaped to fit the tooth:

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the holding member; p

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views of the holding member showing different steps in the process of attacking the tooth;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the completed holding member;

Fig. 8 is a side view of the tooth;

Fig. 9 is a rear view thereof.

In the drawings 1 indicates the metal support to which the artificial tooth is to be secured. This support may be a bridge, a

securing bieuspids, molars or other teeth to bridges or crowns. The tooth 2 is a complete tooth and not simply a porcelain facing, said tooth having the complete shape of a tooth and having sufiicient strength to-resist the strains of occlusion. The tooth is formed at its base with an extension or protuberance 3 which is shaped to present on its sides and bottom an anchoring rib 9. This rib terminates at 16 near the upper end of the sides of the protuberance. The tooth is also provided with a pocket or cavity 6 formed in the rear face 7 of the protuberance 3,. said pocket preferably being larger at its bottom than at the face 7 for reasons presently to be described.

The tooth thus made is secured to the supporting member 1 bymeans of a holding member 8 shown best in Figs. 6 and 7 This holding member is made from thin sheet metal and is of a shape to fit the face 7 and rib 9 of the protuberance 3, said holding -member having the lip 10 which embraces the rib 9, this lip extending nearly to the top of the holding member, as shown in Fig. 4. The holding element is also provided with a cement-receiving pocket 14 which is preferably larger at its bottom than at the open end thereof, said pocket being so situated that when the tooth isin the holding member, the pocket 14 will be in communication with the pocket 6 of the tooth. The shape of the lip 10 and of the rib 9 is such that the tooth can be placed in the holding member by a downward and inward movement and can be removed from the holding member by an upward and outward movement. The holding member is permanently and rigidly secured to the 's'up-- port 1 in any suitable way as by being soldered thereto, and after the holding member is thus secured to the support the tooth may be slipped into said member by a .downward movement. The tooth is permanently secured to the holding member by means of cement 15 which fills the communicating pockets 14 and 6, it being understood, of course, that'the contacting surfaces of the tooth and the holding member will also be provided with a coating of cement. The interlocking of the rib 9 of the .protuberance 3 and the lip 10 of the holding member will prevent the tooth 2 from being removed laterally from the holding member. The cement 15 which serves to tie the tooth to the holding member will prevent any vertical movement of the tooth relative to the holding member and by reasonof the special shape of the pockets 14 and 6, said cement will also assist in preventing the lateral movement of the tooth relative to the holding member. The strains of occlusion are resisted by'the cement 15. The pocket 14 in the holding member 8 may be made in any suitable way. As herein illustrated,

the holding member '8 is formed with an'indented portion 11 opposite the pocket 6 at the time that said member is shaped to the protuberance 3, as shown in Figs. '3 and 4. A sheet or plate 12 isthen soldered to the outer face of the holding member over the indented portion 711,-as shown in Fig. 5, and the material at the extremity of the indented portion is then removed, as shown in Fig. 6, thereby forming a pocket which is larger at the base than at the opening. It will be noted that the holding member 8 is co-extcnsive with the protuberance 3 only and none of the metal will be visible when the tooth is in place. ,An artificial tooth embodying my invention, therefore, will have the appe-arance of a natural tooth.

My invention has the further, advantge.

that if forany reason the artificial tooth becomesinjured and needs to be replaced, this operation can be performed without removing the bridge or other support ,fromfthe mouth for the defective tooth can be easily taken out from theholding'member iand a new tooth inserted While the support 1 is still in the mouth. The shape and construction of the holding member is such that a tooth is firmly held thereby and in such a way as 't-o eifectually resist all strains due to occlusion. Further, the construction iscomparatively inexpensive. V

Another advantage ofmy invention is that the tooth herein shown is well adapted for use in casting or forming plates of false teeth, for when the rubber, celluloid or other material used for the plate is cast about the protuberance 3 and fills "theip ocke't 6, the tooth will be firmly anchored and secured to the plate without the use of 'pi'ns'orri'vets usually employed for this purpose. The tooth is, therefore, universal in its adaptation, and the use of my'improved tooth obviates the necessity of having one variety of artificial tooth for crowns and bridge work andanother variety for use in making .rear face, andfla'holding memberfpermanently secured to the supporting member and provided with a lip to embrace said anchoring rib and witha cement-receiving pocket wh ch communicates with the pocket of the tooth when the tooth is in position, and

cement filling the communicating pockets and thus securing the tooth and holding member together.

I ,2 The eces; Creatin artisan teat which cons sts in providing a porcelain tooth having at its basea protuberance pro- .vided on its sides andvbottom with ananchermg'nb and provld'ed in its rear face with a cement-receiving pocket, forming a metal holding member to fit said protuberance and embrace the anchoring rib thereof and provided With a cement-receiving pocket which is situated to communicate With the pocket of the tooth When the tooth and holding member are in operative relation, and then placing the protuberance of the tooth into the holding member and securing the tooth to the holding member by 10 cement which fills the communicating pockets.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

G. A. BROUILLET.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

